AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - The scourge of sexual violence at the centre of a meeting organised by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Democratic Congo

Monday, 5 September 2005

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Kinshasa (Fides Service)- Every year in the Democratic Republic of Congo RDC mainly in western regions tens of thousands of women are raped by members of the many different troops fighting in the area: regular army of RDC, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi and various Conogolese, Rwandan and Burundian rebel groups. Sadly there are even reports of rape by UN peace keepers MONUC supposed to guarantee respect for the cease fire agreement in eastern Congo.
The scourge of sexual violence was at the centre of a recent meeting organised by the Justice and Peace commission of the Catholic Bishopss’ Conference of Congo with the title “Dynamic Women for Peace”, held in 29 August to 2 September. According to the local news agency DIA, the aim of the meeting was how to stop this serious phenomenon. Sr Marie-Bernard Alima Mbalula, secretary of the Justice and Peace commission said the meeting drafted a plan for 2006 which the Bishops of Congo named after Blessed Anuarite Nengapeta Clementine, Africa’s “Maria Goretti” martyred on 1 December 1964 in Paulis (today Isiro). Sr Marie-Bernard Alima Mbalula described Blessed Anuarite as a “model of fidelity, of respect for promises, of self-giving to the end of working to defend the dignity of women and for commitment to promoting reconciliation and peace”.
“During the meeting” the nun told DIA “after hearing terrifying stories of sexual violence and how these women suffer all agreed on the urgent need to unite efforts to put an end to the situation”.
The participants affirmed their commitment to fight sexual violence and listened to the reading of a letter from three women raped in 2003 during the fighting in in eastern Congo who are in desperate need of medical assistance. The case of these three women is so serious that the participants urged the government of Congo and MONUC to see they are admitted to Bukavu hospital immediately. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 5/9/2005 righe34 parole 413)